Fourth Yoplait Women’s Cycling Summit Conference
Women and Supporters To Convene at Interbike
By David LaPorte

On Thursday, October 7, cyclists from across the country will gather at the Interbike Trade Show to continue charting the future of women’s cycling. This edition of the conference series, sponsored by Yoplait Yogurt, will include panel discussions on making bike shops more welcoming to women and on how women’s organizations can work more effectively with sponsors from the bicycle industry.

Making Bike Shops Welcoming to Women

Bike shops are the entry point for women who want to get serious about their cycling. Shops can help women find the bicycles, accessories and apparel that can make the difference between a fun ride and a miserable experience. They can also help welcome women into the sport, guiding them towards clubs, group rides and other activities that suit their needs.

Unfortunately, participants at previous Yoplait Summits have reported that bike shops are often intimidating to women. Shop staffs are usually all male and have little understanding of the needs and perspectives of women. They also tend to use unfamiliar jargon and assume that their customers (both men and women) have more knowledge than they actually do.

One of the goals of the next Yoplait Summit is to provide shop owners and staffs with the information they need become more "woman-friendly". The panel will include National experts in retailing to women along with shop owners who have learned their secrets. This topic should be of particular interest to bike shop owners who can see their profits rise by creating a more positive environment for their women customers.

Partnering with the Bicycle Industry

The bicycling industry contributes a lot more to cycling than just equipment and apparel. Their support can take a program, club or team to a new level. These are key partnerships that help cycling organizations meet their goals while increasing the size of the cycling market.

Successful partnerships are built on mutual understanding by each partner of the other’s needs and goals. Industry experts will discuss why they sponsor cycling organizations, what they hope to receive in return and how they measure success.

About the Yoplait Women’s Cycling Summit Conferences

The Yoplait Summit Conferences are the result of a grassroots movement started by women cyclists and their supporters to promote all levels of women’s cycling. They began in June of 2003 at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota and now take place twice annually: at the Nature Valley GP in June and at the Interbike trade show in October.

In addition to sponsorship from Yoplait Yogurt, the Women’s Summit receives generous support from Interbike. As the world's largest bicycle trade event, Interbike is the focused forum for the global cycling community to launch new products, open new accounts, and establish partnerships. Visit www.Interbike.com
for more information.

The conference, which is open to everyone who supports women’s cycling, will be held in room Casanova 503 of the Venetian hotel from 3:00 to 4:30 PM on Thursday, October 7. Refreshments will be served.